311: Universal Pulse Review

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Omaha reggae rockers deliver solid tenth album.

By Chad Grischow

311's blend of reggae sway and rock swagger returns with their tenth studio album. As mellow as the vocals of "Trouble" get, looking to shake free of the bad boy lifestyle, the crunchy riffs keep it from becoming simply a chill out album. The slippery guitar noodling its way in and out of loyalty anthem "Count Me In" lends the song more of a burly rock edge despite the dub kissed riffs casually drifting through the sandy vocals.

The album is at its best when they strike the balance between the thicker rock oomph and the calming sway of their reggae roots, with the snarling riffs stomping menacingly through "Rock On" feeling claustrophobic in comparison, despite some fantastic guitar work. The muscled-up distortion chugging through "Sunset In July" serves as the perfect foil for its dub flavored breeze and summer loving lyrics. The feel good vibe of the hook of "Time Bomb" balances well with the jagged pulsing rhythm and the jabbing dual-mic attack of Nick Hexum and S.A. Martinez.

The itchy, bristling guitar scratching its way through "Wild Nights" gives it a robust thrust to rough up the gooey sing-along vocals. The buzzing groove of the bass and guitar work well on "And A Ways To Go", but the song becomes far more interesting when drifting into psychedelic space rock territory with the bubbling bass breakdown near the end. The album would be a much more dynamic listen if it took more of those chances, with the shuffling bounce of "Weightless" feeling as if it lasts twice as long as its three minutes thanks to the overused, repetitive hook. Though only eight tracks long, if the album were even a song or two longer it may have worn out its welcome.